Kiln-dried firewood is an excellent choice if you’re looking for wood that will burn hotter, longer and cleaner than alternatives. But, if you’re new to kiln-dried wood, you likely have many questions. Why is it better than other options like seasoned or green wood? In what ways can you use kiln-dried firewood in your life?
Thankfully, you found your way here! Below, we’ll answer all your burning questions about this premium wood type and provide helpful information on buying, benefits, usage and more.
Before we dive into our helpful guide, click the button below to learn more about the kiln-dried wood offered by ProCut Firewood. All our firewood is kiln-dried, local and MDA-certified, so you know you’ll always receive the highest quality product possible.
A Brief Intro to Rochester Kiln-Dried Firewood
Kiln-dried firewood has undergone a specialized drying process in a controlled environment to reduce its moisture content to less than 20% for optimal burning. This process typically involves placing the wood in a kiln, where it’s subjected to high temperatures and low humidity for a set period. At ProCut Firewood, we kiln-dry our wood for 36 hours.
The kiln-drying process is designed to evaporate excess moisture more efficiently than natural air drying, which can be slower and less reliable. As a result, kiln-dried firewood is often preferred for its enhanced burning efficiency and ease of use, making it a popular choice among homeowners and outdoor enthusiasts.
Green vs. Seasoned vs. Kiln-Dried Firewood
When choosing firewood for your home, business or outdoor adventure, there are three primary types: green, seasoned and kiln-dried. Basic awareness of the alternatives is crucial to understanding why kiln-dried is the superior wood product.
What is Green Wood?
Green wood refers to freshly cut wood that has not yet been seasoned or dried. This type of wood retains a high moisture level, often exceeding 50% of its weight, making it significantly heavier and more difficult to ignite than dry wood.
Green wood burns inefficiently because of its high moisture content. It produces more smoke and creosote, which can lead to increased chimney buildup and potential fire hazards. Additionally, green wood generates less heat per unit than seasoned wood and is more prone to warping and cracking as it dries.
Green wood is the least recommended wood for burning compared to the alternatives. Instead, it’s highly recommended that you use wood that has been seasoned or kiln-dried.
Despite what you see on TV, freshly cut green wood isn’t ready to burn!
What is Seasoned Wood?
Seasoned firewood has been allowed to dry over time, typically six months to a year, to reduce its moisture content to around 20% to 30%. This drying process, known as seasoning, improves the wood’s burning efficiency by making it easier to ignite and burn more completely than green wood.
Seasoned firewood produces less smoke and creosote than green wood, resulting in a cleaner burn with more heat output. The wood also tends to be lighter and has a more cracked, weathered appearance.
Unfortunately, seasoning doesn’t produce consistent results, and you can’t guarantee how low the moisture content will be. Since it’s outside for so long, seasoned wood is prone to bug infestations and mold growth.
Seasoned firewood is better than green wood by far. However, it falls behind kiln-dried firewood in all categories except price.
How is Kiln-Dried Wood Better?
Kiln-dried firewood is better than green or seasoned wood because of its low moisture content. Since the drying process is controlled, this wood can be consistently brought to below 20% moisture content, which is the optimal dryness for burning.
Without excess moisture, kiln-dried firewood produces less smoke and less creosote, leading to safer fires – for both your chimney and your lungs. Plus, there are many “extra” benefits of choosing kiln-dried firewood.
Key Kiln-Dried Firewood Benefits
Kiln-dried firewood offers numerous advantages, enhancing the efficiency and enjoyment of your fires. Here are some key benefits:
- Higher Heat Output: Due to its lower moisture content, it burns hotter and more efficiently. This provides better warmth and makes it an excellent choice for home heating during the winter, late fall and early spring.
- Cleaner Burn: Produces less smoke and creosote, leading to cleaner chimneys and reducing the risk of chimney fires. Plus, breathing in too much smoke isn’t good for you, making kiln-dried the healthier option.
- Reduced Maintenance: Less creosote buildup means fewer chimney cleanings are needed. This can potentially save you money in the long run.
- Easier Ignition: Lights quickly and easily, making it convenient to start a fire.
- Consistent Burning: Provides a steady, long-lasting flame with consistent performance.
- No Undesirables: The purification process eradicates pests, mold, mildew, chemicals, fungus and other undesirables from your wood. Some of these things can cause significant health hazards when inhaled.
- Lower Risk of Warping: Less prone to warping or cracking as it is already dried and stable. Warping and cracking might increase the risk of burns.
- Efficient Fuel Use: Requires fewer logs to produce the same heat as green or air-dried wood. This might balance the additional costs of kiln-dried firewood because you have to buy less.
- Reduced Environmental Impact: More efficient burning leads to lower emissions and less environmental impact.
These benefits make kiln-dried firewood a premium choice for those seeking optimal performance and convenience in their firewood.
Kiln-Dried Firewood Usage Examples
Kiln-dried firewood offers the best burn in several situations, including fireplaces, bonfires, camping and cooking.
Fireplaces and Wood Stoves
Kiln-dried wood is the best option for fireplaces and wood stoves because (as mentioned above) it creates less creosote. Creosote is a thick, oily, flammable liquid used in innumerable chemicals – including pesticides. When burned, the chemical can build up in your chimney or pipe in the form of thick, gooey black soot.
Why is this an issue? Creosote is flammable, so extensive buildup could lead to chimney fires or (in rare cases) explosions. Plus, a blocked chimney doesn’t operate efficiently and can cause significant smoke to enter the home, affecting breathing and leaving a smoke stench in rooms.
Thankfully, the kiln-drying process removes many of the chemicals that use creosote – and since it’s present in smoke, less is best.
If you use wood to heat your home during winter, we recommend kiln-dried oak. Not only is it safe, but it’s also efficient because oak is one of the hottest-burning woods available.
Wood stoves remain a popular primary or secondary heating source in some places!
Bonfires
A bonfire is a large fire usually used for social gatherings. Generally, bonfires will be larger than camping fires and require more wood than fireplaces or stoves.
Kiln-dried firewood is an excellent choice for bonfires because it burns hotter, longer and cleaner. With less smoke and less stoking the fire, you can enjoy your evening with friends and family to the fullest.
Camping
Late-night campfires are one of the best parts of camping. But, having to contend with clouds of smoke or constantly feeding the flames can make the experience stressful rather than enjoyable. Thankfully, choosing kiln-dried negates these two issues.
Also, you don’t want to roast marshmallows over unhealthy flames contaminated with chemicals or mold. Purified wood will help you rest easily, knowing your campfire smores are free of undesirables and safe to eat.
Cooking
You can purchase specialty cooking wood for your smoker, grill or pizza oven. But what about when cooking wood isn’t available? Kiln-dried firewood will do in a pinch because it’s clean and doesn’t produce excessive smelly smoke that will sour your food.
However, you may need to cut your wood before cooking. Of course, this depends on your cooking method. No additional cutting will be required if you cook over an open campfire. But smaller pieces will be needed if you use firewood in your smoker, grill or pizza oven. We suggest chopping the standard logs into quarters and then into your preferred lengths.
Finding the Best Kiln-Dried Firewood to Buy
To get the best burning experience, you need to find high-quality firewood and a great company to purchase it from. Below, we discuss how to properly vet both the wood and the company.
Vetting the Wood
By this point, you know that choosing kiln-dried firewood is crucial for the best burning experience. But not just any wood dried in a kiln will do. You’ll also want to ensure your firewood is:
- Hardwood: Since they’re denser than softwoods, they’ll burn longer and hotter. The moisture content is also naturally lower, so kiln-drying will achieve maximum dryness. Excellent options include birch, cherry, oak and hickory.
- Local: Wood sourced locally is often cheaper and more eco-friendly. The lower price is due to lower transportation costs. Plus, local wood doesn’t carry the risk of introducing invasive species that can harm local ecosystems and doesn’t violate any federal firewood regulations.
Vetting the Company
When choosing a firewood company, look for one that:
- Has an excellent reputation: You can assess this by reading online reviews, checking the Better Business Bureau and asking people you trust for recommendations.
- Is transparent about their processes: This shows that the company is trustworthy and adheres to high standards. You can usually find this information on the company’s website, but don’t hesitate to call and ask!
- Offers delivery: This is a convenient option, especially for those without pickup trucks who want to order large amounts of firewood at once.
- Answers your questions: When the company’s employees can answer all your questions related to kiln-dried firewood, you can feel confident that they’re experts who take pride in what they do. Plus, this shows they care about their customers.
Thankfully, ProCut Firewood meets all these criteria! When purchasing your kiln-dried firewood from us, you can feel confident that you’ll receive premium wood and unrivaled customer service. Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it. We have numerous reviews from previous customers to back up our statement!
How Much Kiln-Dried Firewood Should I Order?
Deciding how much firewood to order involves assessing your needs and usage patterns and understanding the available firewood sizes. The amount of firewood you need depends on several factors, as explained below.
Firewood Sizes Available
There are several firewood ordering sizes you could choose from. The most common include:
- Full Cord: The standard measurement provides the most wood for the price, offering 128 cubic feet of wood. It’s suitable for large stoves, fireplaces or extended use.
- Half Cord: This is half the volume of a full cord (or 64 cubic feet) and is ideal for smaller stoves or if you only need a moderate amount of firewood.
- Face Cord: This is a stack of wood 4 feet high by 8 feet long, but the depth can vary (usually around 16 inches). It is a good option for those who need a smaller, more manageable quantity.
- Bundle: This smaller, portable bag contains five to seven pieces of kiln-dried firewood. It is an excellent choice for camping or a single fire.
At ProCut Firewood, we also offer a convenient extra option called a mini stack, which measures 2 feet wide by four feet high and contains about 80 pieces of wood. This could be an excellent option for an extended week-long camping trip or occasional firepit usage through the fall.
Usage Needs
Estimating your usage needs ensures you don’t buy too much or too little kiln-dried firewood. While it may seem daunting, getting a rough estimate of your usage is straightforward.
Begin by estimating how often and how long you’ll use the firewood. For instance, if you burn wood daily during a cold winter, you’ll need more than if you use it occasionally for ambiance. Depending on the climate and home heating efficiency, a home might need anywhere from one to four cords for a typical winter season.
A larger, older home may take four full cords to warm your family during Midwest winters!
However, a single fire will only take a single bundle. If you’re going camping, you can get one bundle per fire. So, if you’re going to have one fire per day on a three-day camping trip, a single bundle is all you’ll need.
In general, here’s what each common ordering type is best for:
- Full Cord: Using firewood as your primary or secondary heating source in a frigid climate.
- Half Cord: Using firewood as a secondary heating source in a mild winter climate.
- Face Cord: For occasional fires throughout a single season, but not daily usage.
- Short Stack: For an extended vacation or very irregular fires at home (indoor or outdoor).
- Bundle: A single fire in either a firepit or fireplace.
Storage Space
Before placing your order, the last thing you’ll need to do is ensure you have proper storage space. You might need a full cord to heat your home throughout the winter, but if you only have enough safe, dry storage space for a half cord, that’s all you should order.
If your storage space is limited, placing your order when you have about one week of wood left is a good idea. This allows plenty of time to get your new order of wood in before running out but also doesn’t risk overburdening your storage space.
Storing Your Kiln-Dried Firewood
Properly storing kiln-dried firewood is essential to maintaining its quality and ensuring it remains ready for use. If you’re unsure how to do that, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered!
First and foremost, choose a dry, well-ventilated area for storage. The ideal location is a covered, elevated space such as a shed, carport or wood rack, which shields the wood from rain and snow while allowing air to circulate freely. Avoid storing firewood directly on the ground, as moisture can seep from the soil and increase the wood’s moisture content. Instead, use pallets or a similar platform to elevate the wood off the ground.
This ample storage allows the kiln-dried firewood to sit off the ground and stay covered.
Arrange the firewood in a single row or stack with spaces between logs to promote airflow. This helps prevent moisture buildup and reduces the risk of mold and mildew. If using a wood rack or holder, make sure it’s sturdy enough to support the weight of the wood without tipping over.
Keep the firewood away from potential sources of moisture, such as leaky gutters or sprinklers, which can inadvertently dampen the wood. Additionally, avoid placing the wood too close to walls or fences, as this can trap humidity and hinder proper drying.
Regularly check the stored firewood for signs of pest infestation or mold. If any issues are detected, address them promptly to prevent the spread and maintain the wood’s usability.
Staying Safe While Burning Your Kiln-Dried Wood
Using best practices and guidelines while burning firewood at home or in a campfire prevents accidents and maintains a safe environment. Firstly, use kiln-dried firewood as it burns more cleanly and efficiently, reducing the risk of excessive smoke and creosote buildup in chimneys. If kiln-dried isn’t available, seasoned firewood will do in a pinch.
For home use, ensure your fireplace or wood stove is equipped with a proper chimney or flue and regularly inspected and cleaned by a professional to prevent dangerous creosote accumulation.
When building a fire indoors or outdoors, start with a safe location. For campfires, choose a clear, open area away from trees, shrubs and flammable materials. If available, use a fire ring or pit to contain the flames. Always have a bucket of water, a fire extinguisher or a shovel and dirt nearby to quickly extinguish the fire if needed. Avoid using accelerants like gasoline, which can cause uncontrollable flare-ups.
Indoors, ensure your firewood is placed securely in the fireplace or stove to prevent logs from rolling out. Never leave a fire unattended, and ensure it is completely extinguished before leaving the house or going to bed. Install and regularly test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to provide early warning in case of any issues.
For all fires, maintain a safe distance from the flames and keep children and pets away. Finally, local regulations and guidelines regarding open fires should be followed to ensure compliance with safety standards and avoid legal issues.
Kiln-Dried Firewood FAQs
Below, we’ve answered a few of the most common questions we get from our customers. We hope you find them helpful in your buying journey!
How much does kiln-dried firewood cost?
The cost of kiln-dried firewood varies significantly based on several considerations, including location and company. We recommend contacting our Rochester firewood experts today for an accurate quote.
Is kiln-dried firewood more expensive than air-dried wood?
Yes, it typically costs more due to the additional processing involved. However, we (and many people) believe it’s worth the extra costs because it’s a higher-quality wood.
Can I use kiln-dried firewood in any stove or fireplace?
Yes, it’s suitable for most stoves and fireplaces, but always check manufacturer recommendations. Kiln-dried options are also perfect for bonfires, cooking and more.
Does kiln-dried firewood produce less smoke?
Yes, it burns more completely and produces less smoke than wood with a higher moisture content. Less smoke means easier breathing and less creosote production.
How can I tell if firewood is kiln-dried?
Kiln-dried wood is usually lighter and drier and often has a uniform appearance. If you’re unsure, ask the distributor you hope to buy your firewood from about how they dry their wood.
Is kiln-dried firewood more eco-friendly?
It can be more eco-friendly because it burns more efficiently, meaning you need less wood for the same burning time. In turn, this might reduce the need for excessive harvesting.
Get Your Premium Local Kiln-Dried Firewood in Rochester Today!
Are you ready to reap the numerous benefits of premium kiln-dried firewood? ProCut Firewood is here to help! If you live in Rochester, MN, or nearby, fill out our form below or call (507) 280-7780 to schedule your firewood delivery or pick-up. We look forward to serving you!
